Vehicle-gear.



No. 689,|50. Patented Dec. I7,'l90l1 H. F. WEEKS.

VEHICLE GEAR.

(Application filed Oct. 12, 1901.)

(No Model.)

lvwenfor UN TED STATES PATENT FFlCE.

HUBBARD F. WVEEKS, OF FREEHOLD, NElV JERSEY.

VEHICLE-GEAR.

SBECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,150, dated December 17, 1901. Application filed OctoberlZ, 1901. Serial NQJSASS. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom, it may concern:

3e it known that I, HUBBARD F. WEEKS, a citlzen of the United States, residing at Freehold, in the county of Monmouth andState of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Gears, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is the production of a vehicle-gear which shall be simple in construction, comprised of few parts and those parts united by the fewest possible nu mber of bolts, which shall be so arranged that the axle and lower member of the fifth-wheel only will move relative to the remaining portion of the gear, the king-bolt being stationary, which shall be provided with means for taking up wear, and which withal shall constitute a comparatively light, simple, and strong instrumentality for performing the desired functions.

With this end in View my invention consists in certain novelties of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an example of the physical embodiment of my improvements constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of. the principle.

Figure 1 is atop plan view of the gear with the ends of the spring broken away. Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 1 and in elevation. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the integral kingbolt and forked brace, the washer beingshown in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the axle, lower member of the fifth-wheel, and the perforated boss, all formed integrally.

Referring to the several figures, the numeral l designates the axle; 2, a boss projecting above the upper surface of the axle and of a tapering shape, a perforation or hole being made therethrough and through the body of the axle beneath; 3, a conical recess in the under surface of the axle and concentric with the hole in'the axle and boss, and 4- the lower semicircular member of the fifth-wheel, having a fiat upper surface raised above the top horizontal plane of the axle and forged or otherwise formed integral with the said axle.

The numeral 5 designates a perforated head-block plate of the form shown; 6, a seat concentric with the perforation and adapted to serve as a bearing for the end of the boss upon the axle; 7, the perforated top reachirons integral with the head-block plate; 8, the bottom reach-irons; t), the reaches; 10, the head-block, having holes at its ends and a hole at its central portion, and 11 the lower leaves of a spring, which are perforated to receive the king-bolt end.

The numeral 12 designates the king-bolt proper threaded to receive a washer and nut; 13, a brace integral with the king-bolt; 14, the flat perforated rearwardly-extending forked arms of the brace, and 15 is a conical-shaped and perforated washer located upon the kingbolt and fitting within the conical or tapering shaped recess 3, formed within the lower surface of the axle.

The numeral 16 designates the upper member of the fifth-wheel, semicircular in shape and conforming in outline with the lower member, which is integral with the axle.

17 designates perforated attaching-lugs; 18, bolts which pass through the top reach-irons, the reaches, the lower reach-irons, and the ends of the forked brace; 19, bolts which pass through the lugs of the top member of the fifth-wheel, the top reach-irons, the reaches, the lower reach-irons, and the ends of the forked brace; 20, bolts which secure the reaches to the top and bottom reach-irons; 21, bolts which pass through the ends of the headblock, the ends of the upper member of the fifth-wheel, and the ends of the head-block plate, and 22 is an antirattler of a well-known type located at the rear portions of the two members of the fifth-wheel and holding their bearing-surfaces in frictional contact.

From the foregoing description it becomes apparent that I have produced a gear which is simple in construction, comprised of few parts,i-n which the king-bolt is stationary and relieved fromsevere strains by reason of the inter-locking portions, which is provided with means for taking up the wear between the axle and the other bearing-surfaces, which is so arranged that few bolts are required to unite the several constituent elements, and which, moreover, fulfils all the conditions set forth as the end of my invention.

It is obvious that in practice numerous minor changes may be introduced in the construction and arrangements, such as making the tapering washer integral, with the kingbolt, if so desired, and altering and modifying the shape of certain parts Without constituting a substantial departure.

What I claim, and desire to secure bylletters Patent,'is-

1. The combination in a vel1iclegear, of an axle having a boss upon its upper surface and said axle and boss centrally perforated; a perforated head-block plate and top reach-irons formed integral; a king-bolt and brace with forked ends formed integral, said king-bolt located within the perforations formed in the axle,boss, and head-block plate; lower reachirons; and bolts; said bolt uniting the ends of the upper reach-irons, the lower reachirons, and the forked ends of the brace.

2. The combination in a vehicle-gear, of an axle having a boss 2 upon its top surface and a semicircular lower member of the fifthwheel formed integrally, the axle and boss being perforated; a perforated head-block plate and upper reach-irons integral 'therewith; an integral king-bolt and forked brace; and bolts uniting the ends of the forked brace and the ends of the reach-irons, the said king-bolt passing through the perforations in the axle, boss, and head-block plate.

A vehicle-axle having a tapering boss upon its upper surface and a lower semicircular fifth-wheel member 4 having its ends located upon opposite sides of the boss; said axle and boss being centrally perforated, and said axle, boss, and lower fifth-Wheel member formed integral.

4. The combination in a vehicle-gear, of a perforated axle having a recess in its lower surface; an integral king-bolt and brace which are stationary relative to other portions of the gear; and a washer located upon the kingbolt and seated within the recess in the lower surface of the axle.

5. The combination in a vehicle-gear, of the perforated axle having a lower semicircular fifth-wheel member integral therewith; a perforated head-block plate; top reach-irons 7; an upper fifth-wheel memberprovided Withintegral perforated lugs 17; a combined king-bolt and forked brace; and bolts 19 said bolts uniting the upper member of the fifth-wheel, the top reach-irons, and the ends of the forked brace and the king-bolt located within the perforations of the axle and head -block plate.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HUBBARD F. WEEKS.

Witnesses:

B. DEY OoNovER, EDWARD O. CASHION. 

